Tag Archives: summer vacation

It takes courage to grow up and be who you really are.” — e.e. cummings

For me, the highlight of vacationing on Lake Michigan is the rare chance to collect my wits and a few beach stones. Adventurous souls will dive into its frigid waves or skim its surface on motor boats and jet skis, but Id rather mine the shore for treasures.

Morning is the best time to hunt for beach stones. The water is usually calm, your outlook is refreshed, and, if youre really lucky, fellow beachcombers are still asleep. Rising with the sun, youll get first pick of the gems that rolled in with the tide.

Its always a thrill to uncover exceptional Petoskey stones, which are rare these days. But dont overlook the subtle beauty of milky quartz, and keep an eye out for perfect skipping stones that were tumbled smooth by the waves.

Look closely, and youll find beach stones imprinted with fossils, some bearing an uncanny resemblance to ancient tablets carved with runes or hieroglyphics. Others are miniature works of art — and youd swear theyd been painted by an Asian calligrapher. As many Northern Michigan jewelers have already discovered, some of these beauties are worthy of stringing on a necklace.
During a recent visit to the Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore, where I celebrated my fiftieth birthday, it occurred to me that collecting beach stones is a bit like crafting a life. You have to remain grounded and focused, yet always open to new possibilities.

For starters, you need deep pockets to collect your bounty. And you must begin your quest believing that youll be rewarded with more than you bargained for. If you focus solely on the obvious — Petoskey stones, for instance — you might miss the other jewels of the lake. In my search for something rare or perfect, Ive nearly overlooked other stones of beauty and character.

And as every seasoned beachcomber knows, the rippling water teases like a mirage, making it hard to see things as they really are. Ive rescued many stones that looked tempting under water, but were lackluster when they dried in the sun. Some were merely pieces of beach glass.

Selecting beach stones, in fact, is a bit like choosing what is essential in life: friends, partners, schools, career paths, a church, and a place to call home. Its wise to make these choices slowly and carefully; to consider what feels right, lasting, and true.

As the cliché goes, its possible to have too much of a good thing, and beach stones are no exception. I always end up with too many, and have to edit down my finds to an exemplary few. Otherwise, Id need a gravel truck to haul them back to Detroit.

This is a lesson I need to apply at home, too.

I tend to hang on to some things longer than I should — outdated clothing, fair-weather friends, silly grudges, bad ideas, hairstyles, broken tools, receipts, and stale opinions. And over the years Ive tolerated things I should have protested, including dumb TV shows, insensitive comments, junk food, energy vampires, unfair wages, and degrading articles in womens magazines.

Wandering the shore at sunset, I ask myself: Whats truly essential now? How much of what I buy do I really need? How can I make better use of my time and the blessings Ive been given? And what in this overbooked/ over-connected world of ours is most in need (or deserving) of my attention?

Collecting beach stones, Im reminded that the second half of life offers the freedom to choose again — to polish, edit, refine and reconsider.

Once again, I empty my pockets before returning home.

This essay is reprinted from my essay collection, Writing Home. It appeared in slightly different form in my Daily Tribune “Life Lines” column in August 2004. Photos are of Lake Michigan (top) and a detail from my Zen garden in Royal Oak. TO ORDER A COPY OF WRITING HOME in Kindle or paperback,CLICK HERE.

Fourth of July weekend is summer’s unofficial kickoff, starting with family picnics and ending in a blast of public fireworks.

According to my calendar, there are roughly 12 weeks of summer left. For many of us, it’s tempting to cram those weeks with action-packed vacations and side trips — if we’re not already booked with weddings, showers, graduation parties, and other special events.

So what happened to those old-fashioned, “lazy” days of summer? I’ve outlined a way you can enjoy the season without running yourself ragged and finding yourself wondering where summer flew when August rolls around. Click here to read “Your Guide to Productive Summer Loafing” in this Sunday’s Royal Oak Patch. How’s your summer going so far? — CL